Everyone has been fascinated by dinosaurs at one point during his or her lifetime. Maybe you still are. And rightfully so! Dinosaurs are creatures of mystery and wonder, and we may never truly learn all there is to know about them. However, here are some surprising dinosaur facts that we do know.
1. Contrary to popular belief, the T. rex could not actually roar.
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There is no evidence that dinosaurs had a larynx or a syrinx, and without these organs, the dinosaurs would not have been able to produce any roars. Rather, the T. rex, as well as other dinosaurs, most likely made a hissing, rattling, or even booming noise similar to crocodiles and snakes. But they are still terrifying dinosaurs, so be glad that you don't have to live with them.
2. Velociraptors were actually the size of a turkey.
Sorry everyone, "Jurassic Park" was a lie. The velociraptors were only about three feet tall and between five and six feet in length. However, scientists believe that these dinosaurs were able to leap about 12 feet into the air, which makes up for their small size.
3. There are no dinosaurs that could fly or swim.
That mosasaurus from "Jurassic World?" Another lie. While the flying pterosaurs and the swimming ichthyosaurs were closely related to dinosaurs, they are not considered dinosaurs. However, the more advanced carnivorous dinosaurs did end up developing feathers and evolving into birds. So you could technically say that there are still dinosaurs among us today!
4. Dinosaurs are not the largest animals that have existed.
While it is true that the argentinosaurus was the largest land animal to roam this planet, this dinosaur is still smaller than the present day blue whale.
5. Larger dinosaurs tended to have smaller heads.
The larger dinosaurs were usually herbivores, and these dinosaurs did not have to hunt for their food or protect themselves against predators, so they did not necessarily need a large brain to sustain them. Thus, the smaller predators generally had larger brains and larger heads. Dinosaurs who traveled in herds also had bigger brains because they needed to be able to communicate with one another. Fortunately, this is not the case for humans, so don't worry. Tall people can be just as intelligent as short people...we think.
6. A full T. rex skeleton has 200 bones.
This is almost equal to the amount of bones in a human skeleton, which is 206 bones. So if you're ever feeling down, remember that you're basically as powerful and mighty as a T. rex. Thankfully, you will probably never be put in a position to test that, so you can always believe and no one can tell you otherwise.
7. Some states in the U.S. have their own state dinosaurs.
All states have their own state fossils, some of which are dinosaurs. However, several states, such as Colorado, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming, have their own state dinosaurs. For example, the state dinosaur of Wyoming is the triceratops. So if you were looking to visit a new state, these states should now be at the top of your list because they are now that much cooler.
And speaking of triceratops,
8. The triceratops has the largest skull of any land animal.
The skull of the triceratops could grow to be up to 10 feet in length. 10 feet! And that's just the skull! Can you imagine what it would be like to actually be around these animals?
9. There is a scientist who is trying to bring back dinosaurs from extinction.
Hans Larsson has attempted to use chickens to bring dinosaurs back to life by reactivating dormant reptilian genes that are present in chicken DNA. So far, he's been able to develop chicken embryos that have teeth and the long tails that are associated with reptiles. Who knows? Maybe we can have a chickenosaurus as a pet one day.
